


Staying Behind

by HonkBeep



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Canon Disabled Character, Ember Island (Avatar), Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Identity, Misunderstandings, Toph Beifong and Zuko are Siblings, Trust Issues, Zuko's Scar (Avatar), toph doesnt know that zuko has a scar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:22:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27584018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HonkBeep/pseuds/HonkBeep
Summary: He dug his heels in. “Look, Toph, I’m not going, okay? Just go on without me, it’s not happening.”Toph frowned and earthbent a pebble into his face. It hit his scar. He winced.“Fine,” she huffed, “Stay here and hide. But if you’re not coming, neither am I; I can tell there’s something you’re not telling me.”An angsty little one shot where Zuko is afraid of people on Ember Island recognizing his scar, so he doesn’t go out when everyone else does. Toph doesn’t know about Zuko’s scar, so she doesn’t understand why he won’t go out, and they end up fighting about it but then they have closure.
Relationships: Toph Beifong & Zuko
Comments: 6
Kudos: 294





	Staying Behind

**Author's Note:**

> this is kind of the combination pizza hut and taco bell of two other fics ive written but im kind of obsessed with the idea of Toph not knowing that Zuko has a scar and accidentally being really insensitive in front of everyone. I originally wrote this for my “5 times Zuko’s scar held him back and one time it didn’t” fic but then I accidentally gave it a happy ending and i was like well shit its not holding him back then but then it was already written so i figured what the hell ill post it anyways

“Okay everyone,” Began Katara, “Now that we’re on Ember Island and we have a real house to stay at with a real kitchen, we are going to start eating REAL food! Zuko, will you lead the way to the market?” 

The idea of going into town on Ember Island made Zuko’s heart lurch. They were in the Fire Nation, a place that hated him! He couldn’t let himself be seen, his people would attack him on site. 

“Uh, maybe I’d better stay behind...” He said, scratching the back of his neck in discomfort. He didn’t want his people to recognize his scar. The entire group seemed to understand... all except Toph. 

“Come on Sparky, I know you’re a prince and all, but do you seriously think people will recognize you? No way, people know your name, not your face.” 

Zuko looked away. “They know  _my_ face...” He muttered. 

Toph was as stubborn as the rocks she bent. “Oh, get over yourself, Princey, just have some fun. Besides, you’re the resident expert on the Fire Nation in here, Twinkletoes won’t stop calling everyone Hotman!” 

Zuko cringed a little bit at the idea of the Avatar calling everyone “hotman” but his stomach turned at the idea of his people finding out who he was and sending him back to his father....

He dug his heels in. “Look, Toph, I’m not going, okay? Just go on without me, it’s not happening.” 

Toph frowned and earthbent a pebble into his face. It hit his scar. He winced. 

“Fine,” she huffed, “Stay here and hide. But if you’re not coming, neither am I; I can tell there’s something you’re not telling me.” 

Zuko looked at the rest of the group uncertainty, then back to Toph. “Uh... okay.” He said. 

Everyone in the GAang looked uncomfortable, but they couldn’t exactly do anything so they gave an awkward goodbye to the pair and walked off, leaving Toph and Zuko standing there awkwardly. 

“So,” Toph said, earthbending two chairs facing each other in the middle of the courtyard. She plopped down in hers, and Zuko sat down cautiously across from her. “What’s the deal, Sparky? Why won’t you go out?” 

Zuko was uncomfortable. “Because we’re in the Fire Nation, people recognize me! I wasn’t lying before. Can’t you tell?” 

Toph crossed her legs and stroked her chin. “Hmm, you’re not lying, but there’s definitely more to it than that. Your heartbeat is going crazy. What aren’t you telling me?” 

Zuko knew Toph couldn’t see his scar, but she had to know there was  _something_ wrong with his face, right? She should at least be able to tell he was blind in one eye, what with how he guarded it when they were sparring and only ever slept on his left side. “Nothing,” he said before realizing she knew that wasn’t true. “I’m just... the idea of being recognized makes me nervous. That’s reasonable, isn’t it?” 

Toph huffed and blew a piece of hair out of her eyes. “I can tell when you’re lying, Sparky. Most people in the Fire Nation haven’t seen you since you were banished, and Sokka told me you changed your hair since then. Plus, I don’t believe you’re that worried about what your dad is going to do to you considering all the dumb, risky stuff you’ve done.” 

She was backing Zuko into a corner and he was getting defensive. “Look, if people see me, they’re going to recognize me, okay? Just trust me on it. Going by your logic, I must have a really good reason to stay behind considering all the dumb, risky things I’ve done, right? If going out is too risky for  _me_ , there’s a reason for it.”

Now Toph was getting frustrated. “I  _know_!  I’m not trying to convince you to go out anymore, dumbass, I  _do_ trust you on it! I want to know  _why_ you won’t go out! I get that there’s a reason for it, I’m trying to figure out what it is!”

Now Zuko felt bad. He hadn’t meant for this to come between him and Toph, but that didn’t mean he was ready to tell her about his scar either. “Look, I’m just really ... recognizable, okay? Can we drop it? I don’t like talking about it.” He looked away and ducked his head slightly, even though he knew Toph couldn’t see his resigned gestures. 

Toph was still frustrated, but she could tell Zuko was uncomfortable, so she tried to make her tone a little gentler as she pushed him for answers. “Well it’s obviously something everybody else knows, why not me?” 

“It’s not personal, it’s just kind of ... visible. They know about it because they can see it, not because I told them. It’s just ... not something I like to talk about.” 

“What, are you ugly or something?” Toph asked, trying to lighten the mood. But it seemed she had the opposite effect. Zuko hung his head harder. “I mean ... yeah.” He muttered. Toph slid her chair closer to him so she could punch him in the shoulder. “Oh come on! Ugly is for losers who can see!” She didn’t see Zuko give her a sideways glare. “Besides, I’m sure it can’t be that bad!” 

“Oh, it is.” 

“Well can I see it? If everybody else gets to look at you it’s only fair.” 

Zuko recoiled. “I am not letting you put your nasty feet all over my face!” He exclaimed. 

“I mean with my hands, you idiot.” 

“Oh.” Zuko relaxed. “I mean... no one has really touched me there for ... since ... a long time. I don’t know. I used to be really sensitive about it.... I kind of think I still am.” 

Toph put her little hands on his arm and looked up at his face with unseeing eyes. “Please, Zuko? You’re my friend, I want to know what my friends look like.” She called him Zuko, not Sparky. She called him her friend. 

Zuko didn’t know what to do. His face burned. His body tensed. “I .. um ... I mean ... okay.” He finally got the word out. “But start on the right side. My right. And ... go slow. I’m not used to people touching my face... I don’t- ... just be...” 

“I’ll be gentle, Sparky,” Toph assured him. “I’m not gonna hurt you, don’t worry.” 

Zuko took a calming breath that took some of the tension out of his body but did little to soothe his racing heart, and he turned towards Toph, lowering his head so she could reach his face. Taking one more breath, he closed his eyes. 

Her fingertips were calloused and the skin was tough, but her touch was surprisingly light and gentle. Zuko shuddered. He hadn’t let anyone touch his face since he was burned, not even his uncle, not even Mai. And it wasn’t like anyone at the palace had had any interest in showing him any sort of physical affection since his mother had gone. Had no one touched his face in six years? Maybe that was why he felt part of him leaning into Toph’s touch, silently reveling in the physical contact. His eyes burned a little and he realized he was holding back tears. He swallowed them down. 

Toph wasn’t lying when she said she’d be gentle. Zuko didn’t even think the girl was capable of such light touch, but here she was. He had been expecting her whole hand, but she traced his features with two feather-light fingers, over his cheekbone, up to his forehead, across his eyebrow... she let the heel of her hand rest in his eye socket. 

The last time someone had done that ... Zuko struggled for a moment, trying to force himself to endure it, to resist the urge to pull away, but he could not quell the images of flames that danced behind his eyes. It was getting to be too much, his heart raced, his breathing quickened, his muscles tensed, he could feel himself on the edge of a flashback, he would not let himself relive that horrible day. He jerked back with a cry. 

As soon as that horrible warmth of a hand withdrew from his face the flames began to recede. He wanted to open his eyes, to make the fire go away, but he was afraid of what he might see. His logical side knew he was going to see Toph, probably looking shocked and with her hand hovering in the air, but what if he didn’t? What if he opened his eyes and he was back at the palace? On the stage with all those people watching him? What if when he opened his eyes he was on his knees again, and when he looked up he saw his father? He cracked his good eye and saw Toph. Relieved, he opened it all the way. 

“Are - are you okay?” She asked. Reality was coming back quickly to him now and he looked away in shame. “Yeah I — sorry, I’m-“ 

“It’s okay.” 

Anger flared within him. He couldn’t believe he’d brought shame upon himself like this again! “No, it’s not okay. I shouldn’t have pulled away, you were fine.” 

“I’m sorry I-“

“No! Don’t be sorry, it’s my fault. Do it again, I’ll be fine.” 

Toph gave him a concerned, questioning look as he leaned forward to her again. Shyly, Zuko added, “Just... stay away from my eyes.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yes.” 

“Tell me if it gets to be too much.” 

“Just do it.” 

“Okay.” 

And she reached up and touched him again, across his eyebrow, to the middle of his forehead. Zuko tensed, she was dangerously close to his scar. “Are you okay?” She asked, feeling him tense. “Yeah,” he breathed, and she kept going. She traced down his nose and over his cupid’s bow, gracing his lips and stopping at his chin. 

Slowly, very slowly, she brought her fingers across the invisible line that separated the right half of his face from his left. She traced his jawline, but stopped abruptly when she got to the part just below his ear.Zuko tensed again, and she could feel him clench his jaw and contort his face into a grimace. He stayed stock still. She had found the edge of his scar. 

“Is... is this okay?” She asked cautiously. “Yeah.” The word was quick and clipped, she could tell how hard this was for him just by the sound of his voice alone. 

Zuko couldn’t feel much of his scar, so he couldn’t always tell where her fingers were, which he was thankful for. He didn’t think he’d be able to handle it if he could. He didn’t know how long she spent touching his features, but she pulled her hand away from his face and into a hug in one fluid movement. Zuko was slightly stunned, but he let himself be hugged and wrapped his arms around her. “You’re strong, Sparky. And brave.” She said. “Thanks.” He responded. 

They sat there hugging each other for a long while. 


End file.
